At first, Ray’s breakdown of the two kinds of writing reminded me of our conversation during class when we struggled a little to categorize the kinds of writing we do – if it’s all for a purpose, or to communicate something, isn’t it all still composition? But as I continued through the passages, considering the craft of composition and authors' urge that a writing curriculum should exist independently, the distinctions made much more sense. Writing to communicate well is an art of persuasion, one that should be practiced frequently and sharpened with each attempt. And in the malleable world of digital literacies, keeping up relies heavily on said practice and interpretation. You could strive to communicate a memory or feeling, or to present an argument for or against something. Every revision becomes a little more convincing, or strikes a certain chord with the reader – something that takes careful consideration when composing an argument. Learning composition as an independent class on its own teaches a beginning writer to consider his/her audience (especially in terms of digital outlets), the structure of an argument, language, and form of presentation. It is something we are all capable of doing but requires repeated practice.
Loading...